RAEX rating agency has opened its 2026 series of publications with an analysis of the quality of water stewardship practices among companies. The thematic ranking covers one of the key environmental aspects, as for many industries, rational water management is the most important driver in reducing environmental risks and ensuring sustainability of production processes.
The study included 145 companies from Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia representing key sectors, such as mining and metals, energy, oil and gas, the chemical industry, as well as other industries with high levels of water consumption.
Polyus scored 92.5 out of 100 against the industry’s average of 49.5. With this score, the level of water stewardship was recognized as very high and put the Company at the top of the rating.
The study methodology is based on complex assessment of corporate policies, management systems and performance indicators in water stewardship. The experts review public reports of the companies including annual and ESG reports, as well as benchmark the indicators across industries. The study assesses dynamics in water withdrawal in absolute and relative terms, industry benchmarking, as well as existing third-party verification of data in this field.
The analysts say that traditionally, the mining and metals companies are strongly focused on water stewardship as production processes in the industry are closely associated with water use and potential environmental impact. In this context, the enterprises are implementing water reclaim systems, best available technologies, as well as advanced treatment and monitoring solutions.
Polyus’ holistic approach to water stewardship and development of environmental practices translates into its top position in the ranking. High scores reflect complex efforts aimed at improving sustainable management of water, environmental risk management, and transparency of environmental reporting in line with best sustainability practices.
The full press release is available on the RAEX website.